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I have always raved about the variety of dishes available across the length and breadth of India. The list is long and has so many varieties of cuisines and dishes it is impossible for anyone to know it all. One such dish is undhiyu from Gujrat, which is less known to people outside the state famous for its array of vegetarian dishes. Undhiyu means ‘upside down’ in Gujrati language, the name is drawn from the traditional method used to cook undhiyu in rural Gujrat. The dish traditionally is made using some vegetables that are specific to India, but adaptions to it have been made so that undhiyu can now be made throughout the world in both Indian restaurants and homes. There are three main parts to undhiyu, namely the vegetables, the dumplings, and the sauce. The dish is prepared in earthen pot with an array of wintry tubers and vegetables like surti papdi (flat beans), baby eggplants, yam, sweet and regular potato, seedless beans, unripe bananas, green peas, toor dal, fenugreek, chilies and seasonings. A rich garam masala made with green garlic, coconut, coriander, chilies, keeps the vegetables moistened and groundnut oil helps to seal together the various flavours. The traditional vessel used to make undhiyu is made with clay and these earthen pots are then buried in large underground furnace and covered with enormous pile of dried leaves which are then set on fire on the top. The dish often called as ‘malta nu undhiyu’ translating as ‘pot of undhiyu’ is thus cooked upside down. The dish is a seasonal one, comprising the vegetables that are available on the South Gujarat coastline, including the Surat, Navsari and Valsad regions. But like I always motivate the readers by saying that even if you do not get one or two ingredients in the recipe, still try it once or twice and try to improve it next time. Undhiyu requires a lot of preparation and is thus prepared in large quantity and is circulated among family members and neighbours so that next time when they make it they share it among the group. The root vegetables are peeled and cut into chunks. Potato, banana and eggplants are then layered deep in the vessel. The method is similar to cooking biryani. The vegetables that take the longest to cook are placed in the bottom. The tubers go in next, followed by the vegetables and coconut. Finally, the dish is layered with muthiyas (crispy fried spiced gram flour and fenugreek leaves). The undhiyu is thin and slowly simmered, the chutney and oil sealing together its various flavors and textures, the soft, sweetish banana undercut by the hard-earthy root vegetables, all of which is complimented by the brittle crunchy muthiyas. Undhiyu is a robust and unique dish with its own character. It is often eaten with fluffy pooris or bajra roti as preparing undhiyu requires a lot of oil and bajra roti helps counter balance the oil in the dish and you don’t feel bloated. Undhiyu Ingredients Surti Papdi (flat beans) 250 gm Oil 200 ml Toor Dal 250 gm Green peas 200 gm Yam 250 gm Sweet potato 200 gm Eggplant 200 gm Rajgiri Banana 4 nos. For the green masala Coriander, chopped 2 cups Green garlic, chopped 1 cup Coconut grated 2 cups Salt to taste Carom seeds 1 tsp Asafetida ½ tsp Oil 2tbsp For the Muthia Methi green 1 bunch Gram flour 2 tbsp Garlic, crushed 2-3 pods Caraway seeds 1 tsp Coriander powder 2 tsp Red chili powder 1 tsp Cumin powder 1 tsp Turmeric powder 1 tsp Asafetida powder ½ tsp Water to bind Salt to taste Oil for frying Method: For the methi muthia, wash and dry the fenugreek leaves, chop and keep aside. Add gram flour, caraway seeds, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt, turmeric powder, asafetida powder. Shape into dumplings using small amount of water and oiled hands. Steam till soft and lightly pan fry to make it crispy, keep aside. For the vegetables, string the surti beans, shell green lentils and green peas, peel yam and suran and cut into big chunks, cut off brinjal crowns and slit in cross sections. Cut banana into chunks with skin on. For the masala, heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and temper with carom seeds and asafetida powder. Add chopped garlic and coconut and adjust the seasoning, add coriander chopped and blend to a smooth paste and keep aside. For the undhiyu, halve the masala and stuff in the above prepared vegetables. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot and temper with caraway and asafetida, add rest of green masala ingredients. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, veggies in order of cooking time with the banana chunks and steamed deep fried muthias going in last. Cook on low heat with sealed cover, place some weight on the lid to seal it. Garnish with the leftover green masala ingredients, serve hot with choice of bread like poori or bajra roti. * Chef Tarun Kapoor,   Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Everyone including me desires to be healthy and in shape with less or no effort. One of the easiest way to do that is to follow a diet chart and include healthy and low-calorie ingredients and food items in our diet to reduce inches. The market is flooded with ingredients, diet charts, food supplements and pills to help you achieve this dream. Bu it is always healthy and advisable to follow a natural path to achieve your weight goals. Turkey isn’t only a festive meal of holiday season, but it can benefit your overall well-being throughout the year. It is a powerhouse of many nutrients and contains minimum fat and cholesterol content than other meats such as beef, lamb and chicken. You can incorporate turkey into your diet in various ways such as adding grilled turkey leg and sliced turkey breast pieces, boneless meat into your salads and sandwiches. Also, when it comes to blood cholesterol and heart health, you need to pick out the very leanest meats. Too much cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium in your diet can greatly affect your risk of cardiovascular disease. When you compare ground turkey with its beef counterpart, they’re relatively even. But ground turkey comes in a fat-free version that could be the best option for your heart and overall well-being.  If you’re already at risk of developing heart disease, fat-free ground turkey might be your best option. This type of ground turkey is derived from very lean cuts of the bird, and although it still has some unhealthy components, it has very minimal amounts. One 3 1/2-ounce cooked ground turkey patty has just 65 milligrams of cholesterol, a minimal 0.7 gram of saturated fat and less than 60 milligrams of sodium. Nutritionists recommend consuming turkey meat without skin to avoid excess calories. Moreover, you should only opt for fresh turkey meat and avoid buying frozen one as it contains preservatives. Consuming preserved turkey can increase your sodium intake which is not considered healthy for your body. Turkey is also considered a whole meal due to its high nutritional value. It can work well to boost your metabolism. I often include turkey in my diet in my sandwiches or my meat and vegetable soups.  Consuming turkey meat is not only beneficial to reduce weight but to maintain your body weight too. This meat is a powerhouse of nutrients like riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B, Vitamin C, Phosphorous, protein and more. A single serving of grilled turkey breast contains only 23 calories, which is a delight to people who want to reduce weight but can’t imagine a meal without meat.  It is an ideal meat for great cardiovascular health. You can consume 2-3 servings of turkey in a week but avoid preparing it in excess oil, it will contain zero fat content and fewer calories. Enriched with high protein content, turkey is your safe and natural source to treat various skin, hair and nail problems. These body parts are made of proteins and require frequent doses of this substance to help you steer clear of hair and nail related problems.  Our body needs several essential vitamins and nutrients like vitamin D, Vitamin K, calcium and then phosphorous. Phosphorous facilitates your body to produce protein and allowing it to use obtained carbohydrates and fats. One serving of turkey meat contains 190 grams of phosphorous which can help you keep your bones and teeth’s healthy in long term. High cholesterol levels contribute to various cardiovascular problems. That is why nutritionists emphasise on consuming food with minimum cholesterol content. Turkey has been blessed with such a quality and like zero fat and fewer calories, it contains minimum cholesterol levels as well. So, if you are prone to high cholesterol, you can still incorporate it into your diet. However, go slow and do not just replace all the meats in your diet with turkey at once. People with diabetes do not have much food options due to calories and sugar content in them. Studies have revealed that consuming moderate servings of turkey can be helpful to curb diabetic symptoms. That is possible mainly because it contains minimum calorie, fat, cholesterol, etc. Thus, people with diabetes shouldn’t be worried as they can consume turkey at least thrice a week and can satisfy their meat cravings. People diagnosed with anemia are suggested to incorporate foods enriched with nutrients like iron. These properties promote red blood cells in your body that help ward off anaemia. Consuming turkey can help in this regard as it is a powerhouse of minerals and vitamins. However, more studies are underway in this context. Turkey and Healthy Greens Soup Ingredients Ground Turkey 800 gm Olive oil 3 tbsp Yellow onion, Diced 1 nos. Garlic, minced 4-5 cloves Ginger, minced 1 tbsp Celery, diced 1 cup Vegetable broth 10 cups Butternut squash 300 gm Kale 250 gm Red kidney beans 250 gm Black beans 250 gm Basil leaves, chopped 3 tbsp Thyme, dry 1 tsp Cumin powder 1 tsp Salt to taste Black pepper crushed to taste Lemon juice 1 tbsp Garnish Coriander leaves chopped 4 tbsp Method: Boil the red kidney beans and black beans in a heavy bottom stock pot with some salt till they are cooked, Drain and keep aside. In another heavy bottom stock pot, heat oil over medium heat Add diced, onion, celery, ginger and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes without turning them brown Add ground turkey and stir to cook evenly, cover and cook over slow flame for 3-5 minutes. Add the boiled red kidney beans and black beans and vegetable stock. Add diced butternut squash, kale leaves, basil leaves and thyme leaves. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and simmer over slow flame for 15 minutes. Cook until the vegetables are tender and cooked well. Check the seasoning and add freshly chopped coriander leaves on top as garnish and serve hot. Note; you can also choose your choice of ingredients like avocado, bell pepper and jalapeno t make your signature style of this soup. *Chef Tarun Kapoor,   Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

It is early August and farmers markets, grocery stores have a variety of fresh seasonal items to offer and you must have seen fresh figs too while passing through the aisles. Although figs are available throughout the year, there is nothing compared to savouring this delectable and exotic fruit in its fresh form. They are sweet with a texture that combines the chewiness of their flesh, the smoothness of their skin, and the crunchiness of their seeds. Figs grow on the ficus tree, which is a member of the mulberry family. They are unique in their shape and have an opening called the “ostiole” or “eye” which is not connected to the tree but helps with the fruits’ development and growth with its environment. Figs are full of fibre, potassium, calcium and antioxidants so they can power you through your day or your workout. They are fat, sodium and cholesterol free, making them ideal for snacking or throwing them into your favourite recipes. Majority of the produce is dried, either by exposure to sunlight or artificially. Drying helps increase the shelf life, maintain cost and its availability throughout the year. Fresh figs are available from July through October. While some people love eating figs all on their own, others prefer fresh figs in recipes. I picked up a bunch of fresh green figs and black/purple figs at the farmers market last week and have been playing with them since. Fresh figs really add such a nice sweet richness to so many recipes. I’ve enjoyed them for breakfast atop toast spread with almond butter or cream cheese and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice, in salads, on ice cream and in sandwiches. What’s your favourite way to use late summer figs? Let’s look at a delicious way to use up fresh figs in cake form, from my kitchen. Figs have been around for thousands of years and are one of the most ancient of fruits – figs were originally grown in Egypt, before they arrived in Greece. Wild fig trees first grew in Africa and West Asia and South Asia, round the Mediterranean Sea beginning probably millions of years ago. Nutritionally, they are rich in minerals and fibre. A rich source of potassium, they help to control blood pressure. Among all the fruits, they are one of the most alkaline, contributing to a balanced pH level within the body. So consuming moderate quantity of figs is good for overall well-being of our body. Fresh figs, especially black mission figs, are high in phytonutrients and antioxidants such as carotenes, tannins, lutein, and chlorogenic acid among others and anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin A, E, and K. Together, these Phyto-chemical compounds in figs help scavenge harmful oxygen-derived free radicals from the body, thereby protecting us from cancers, diabetes, degenerative diseases, and infections. Fresh, as well as dried figs contain good levels of the B-complex group of vitamins like niacin, pyridoxine, folates, and pantothenic acid. These vitamins function as co-factors for metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Dried figs are an excellent source of minerals like calcium, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, selenium and zinc – all important for healthy red blood cell formation, as well for cellular oxidation. Figs are self-fruitful, so you need only one plant to produce fruit. Mature fig trees can be 4.5 to 9 metres (15 to 30 feet) tall. Figs don’t “flower”, the fruit is the flower. The black or green orb we eat is called a syconium. It is what botanists call an “enclosed inflorescence” because hundreds of tiny thread-like male and female flowers grow inside the urn-like fruit. Many fig varieties do not require pollination, but in the wild, some are pollinated by fig wasps, which hatch inside of figs. Figs are low in calories and contain soluble dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. Figs are a perfect match with orange zest and warm spices. This lovely moist cake uses both dried and fresh figs for a delicious autumn treat. Figs and orange zest cake Ingredients Unsalted butter 150 gm Cream cheese 150 gm Castor sugar 1 ¼ cup Eggs 4 nos. All-purpose flour 2 cups Ginger, chopped 1 tsp Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp Baking powder 1 ½ tsp Sea salt ½ tsp Dried figs ¾ cup Orange zest 1 tsp Lemon juice 2 tbsp Castor sugar ¼ cup To serve Plain yoghurt 1cup Fresh figs to garnish Honey 2 tbs Method: Grease a cake tin with unsalted butter and line with baking paper, keeping it 4-5 cm above the rim of the tin. Combine sugar syrup and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to boil, to dissolve the sugar, keep aside. Combine cream cheese, butter and castor sugar and cream until very light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs separately and combine to the butter mixture using a spatula. Combine the flour baking powder, spices and figs and add to the egg mixture along with the orange zest and mix well. Pour the mixture to the cake tin and bake for 50 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius. Check by piercing a knife if it comes out clean the cake is cooked. Poke holes all over the cake with a skewer and spoon over the prepared lemon syrup. Leave the cake to cool down in the tin. Spoon the thick yoghurt on top of cake and decorate with figs and honey drizzle. * Chef Tarun Kapoor,   Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Everyone loves sandwiches, and they tend to differ from one region to another, depending on the local traditions, food availability and eating preferences of the people. ‘Sloppy Joe’ is one such example of a delectable sandwich liked by masses. It’s easy to make and its even easier to eat. A sloppy joe is a sandwich made with ground meat, most commonly beef, onion, tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce and is served in a hamburger bun. Keema pav is a similar dish in India cuisine which resembles sloppy joe. Keema pav uses mostly ground lamb or chicken served alongside of a buttered milk bread.  Like with any popular food there are stories associated with its origin, similarly sloppy joe has its own share of origin stories. Most believe the sloppy joe was first served in Havannah Cuba at the café Sloppy Joe’s in the early 1900’s. The sloppy joe goes by many names, including manwich, slush burger, yum yums, barbecue, dynamite, and even sloppy jane. In 1969, Hunt’s revolutionised the sloppy joe when it introduced its Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce. Many say that a cook named Joe in Sioux City, Iowa, in the 1920s created a sandwich of “loose meat” served in bread and called it sloppy joe. In Midwest it is a common practice for cooks to make sandwiches with loose meat. It is a way to make sure you stretch the limited supply of meat into multiple meals. Some variations of sloppy joe recipes use meats other than the traditional ground beef, such as chuck roast or even chicken. The actual story dates to 1930’s. The restaurant’s cook and inventor of this sandwich was named Joe and because of his sloppy attire his creation was called sloppy joe.  Second story states that the sloppy joe originated in Sloppy Joe’s cafe in Cuba. According to this theory, the sloppy joe sandwich was named after the outlet. Because the cafe was busy, dirty and unkempt and had a sloppy atmosphere to it, started to be known as sloppy joe’s cafe. Hence, the original sandwich served merely took on the name of the restaurant with a dirty reputation and was not named for being a messy sandwich.  Whatever theory you want to believe the result is a delicious sandwich with no competition. Today there are many variations on the sloppy joe with a modern twist on the classic dish. Sloppy Joe sliders – These are the miniature versions of the original sloppy joe. They are ideal for sharing with a group at parties. They are easy to prepare and take less time to cook. Sloppy joe enchiladas – This dish adds a Latin touch to the American dish with same great taste. Sloppy joe casserole – It is basically a deep dish sloppy joe pizza. This requires some preparation but worth the effort. Sloppy joe tarter torte casserole – Sloppy joes are served with some sort of side dish. In this dish, sloppy joe is combined with tarter tots to make on a great meal. Sloppy joe potato skins – This is another great group dish for those looking to bring something to the party that is unique more than chips and dip. This dish takes a bit longer to prepare than the other recipes because potatoes can take a while to cook. But that doesn’t make these sloppy joe baked potato skins with smoked cheddar any less delicious. It does not matter whether the sloppy joe is an American original or a Cuban invention. Either way, it is delicious. What else do you need besides ground beef, tomato sauce and bread? Whether it is the original sloppy joe recipe or one of the many dishes the original inspired, the sloppy joe is a delicious cultural dish worth putting in your meal rotation schedule. So try out this recipe and brag about your food knowledge to your friends and family. Sloppy joe Ingredients Ground Beef 750 gm Onion, diced 1 no. Garlic 3-4 nos. Bell pepper, diced 1 no Water 1 cup Ketchup ¾ cup Worcestershire sauce 1/2tsp Brown sugar 2 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp Salt to taste Black pepper 1/3 tsp Cayenne pepper ½ tsp Cheddar cheese 4 tbsp Method: Heat oil in a heavy bottom skillet and add small diced onion and chopped garlic. Add ground beef and sauté to cook, turn heat to medium and cook and stir the mixture constantly. Cook until the beef is browned and forms small crumbles, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in small diced bell peppers, cook and stir until softened for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup water and stir, scrape the sides of the pan to dissolve any brown flavour bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper. Add more moisture if required to avoid the mixture sticking to the bottom. Cook until the mixture is thick (approx. 30-35 minutes) and until all the water has evaporated. Adjust the seasoning with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste. Toast a burger bun with butter on both sides. Scoop out the mixture between the toasted burger bun, sprinkle some grated cheese and serve hot. * Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Red velvet cake needs no introduction, this cake always stands out even when placed with other well decorated and frosted cakes in pastry displays. We all love the gooey and soft texture and taste of red velvet cake. Red velvet cake is also known as Waldrof red cake or red Waldrof cake or Waldrof Astoria cake or red mystery cake or flame cake or $300 cake. It is a layered cake with a distinctive bright red hue produced by a considerable amount of red of food colouring. It has a typical rich, soft and fluffy sponge that provides much of the cake’s flavour punch and a rich white frosting that provides much of the cake’s flavour punch and colour contrast. Original red velvet cakes got the “velvet” part of their name not because they resembled bright red velvet dresses but because their texture was so smooth and velvety. The texture was influenced by the special ingredients put into the cake. Red velvet cake recipes vary but almost all contained baking soda and either vinegar or buttermilk. Both vinegar and buttermilk are acidic, and anyone who has experimented making a volcano in school knows that bubbles erupt when vinegar is mixed with baking soda. The bubbles fluffed up the cake, making it light and smooth. The vinegar and buttermilk did not just react with baking soda, they also reacted with the cake’s cocoa powder. Cocoa powder has anthocyanins, these are compounds that are also found in foods like red cabbage. Red cabbage leaves can be used as pH indicators, getting redder in presence of strong acids. It is the anthocyanins that change colour in cabbage, and they do the same in the cocoa, giving it a red finish. But most cocoa powder in the market today is neutralised. It is the reason why a lot of recipes for red velvet that use cocoa powder specify the type of cocoa powder they use. A proper red velvet cake is moist and soft, with a slight tang, and not overly sweet. The flavour of cocoa is vaguely present, but not pronounced. The original red velvet was made from vegetable shortening, which produces a tender crumb and light texture. Some sources also attribute the red velvet cake to the Adams Extract and Spice Company of Texas. To increase the sales of their food colour and create a demand for it, they came out with this recipe. American corporations have a long history of creating dishes incorporating their products. Another story relates this recipe with a house wife, dissatisfied with the brownish hue of her chocolate cakes, mixed in a lot of food colouring. Another story relates it to someone careless in measuring the food colour added a lot of it in the recipe. Another story relates it to a baker wanting to make a red cake for Valentine’s Day added the colour resulting in a flaming red coloured cake. Whatever related story you believe in, the result was an outstanding, distinct cake, which has its character and identity and is popular among all the age groups and is a part of almost all pastry shop menu offerings across the globe. Red Velvet Cake Ingredients All-purpose flour 2 ½ cup Castor sugar 1 ½ cup Baking soda 1 tsp Salt 1 tsp Cocoa powder 1 tsp Vegetable oil 1 ½ cup Buttermilk 1 cup Eggs 2 nos. Red food colour 2 tbsp White vinegar 2 tbsp Vanilla extracts 1 tsp Cream cheese frosting to frost Almond to garnish Cream Cheese Frosting Cream cheese 400 gm Icing sugar 4 cups Unsalted butter 1 cup Vanilla extracts 1 tsp Method Preheat the oven at 350-degree Fahrenheit and lightly oil and flour three cake pans (9-inch dia.). In a bowl sift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder and add sugar, keep aside. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil, food colour vinegar and vanilla extracts until all ingredients are combined. Mix all the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in a mixer to gate a smooth batter. Divide the cake batter among the three cake pans, Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart, pour water in the baking tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pan. Check the cake by pricking a knife, if it comes out clean the cake is cooked and ready. Remove the cake pans from the oven and run a knife along the edges to loosen the cakes. Invert the cakes and place them on a cooking rack, to bring them to room temperature and then refrigerate them for about 2 hours or preferably overnight. For the frosting combine cream cheese, sugar and butter over high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed and add vanilla extracts and mix for 2-3 minutes. Store in a clean dry container and refrigerate, it can be stored for 3 days in refrigerator for layer use. To frost the cake, divide each prepared sponge into three layers using a palette knife. Place one layer on cake stand and sing a spatula or palette knife spread some cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. Spread enough frosting to make ¼ to ½ inch layer of frosting. Carefully place another sponge layer on top and repeat the frosting layer. Top with the remaining layer and cover until the entire cake with the frosting, sprinkle with chopped almonds to garnish. Refrigerate and divide into required spice or serve as required. * Chef Tarun Kapoor,  Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

I have always been fortunate to have worked at so many different places and gain experience in different aspects in hospitality sector. With that I was exposed to a variety of cuisines and cultures.  During my tenure on board cruise ship allowed me to travel across the globe in a short span of time. While visiting beautiful Italy I tried to explore as much as possible the neighbouring places and the food destinations associated with it. I visited Napoli, Sicily, Venice, Livorno, Rome, Florence and some more places and explored their local delicacies, food products and locally made extra virgin olive oil. Ravioli is one of my favourites when it comes to Italian cuisine.  The word “ravioli” refers to all kinds of filled Italian pasta where a thin layer of dough wraps around a filling. Ravioli are poached and dished out with their accompanying sauce or are served in broth. The pasta layer, most commonly made with durum wheat and egg is rolled into thin sheets, the filling is carefully secured in different shapes and portion sizes and can be prepared in advance and stored. Common fillings may include meat, cheese, vegetables and vary greatly between the countless local regional recipes. What may be surprising to most of the readers is that Ravioli or pasta did not originate in Italy, it was introduced by Chinese travellers in the form of noodles, wontons, dim sums. Then due to the localisation of the food, durum wheat was introduced instead of the all-purpose flour and local ingredients like cheese, meats, vegetable and other such filling were used to make ravioli. The creative chefs of wealthy Italian families started experimenting and incorporated pasta in different shapes like circles, half-moons, hats, stars and other such shapes. Whatever may be the shape of the pasta, ravioli is basically a thin sheet of pasta stuffed with choice of filling, served with a sauce.  Fillings can include but are not limited to variety of cheeses, nuts, breadcrumbs, seafoods, meats, game meats, herbs and seasonings and many more.  Although every single step in preparation of any dish is important for the success of a perfect dish, but I consider there are two most important steps in making a ravioli. Firstly, making the sheet pasta, the pasta must be smooth and even. The dough needs to be at the right thickness where it is not too thick or too thin. Making a pasta dough requires practice and patience. And secondly to enclose the filling in the sheet so that it does not oozes out while cooking. The filling has to be substantial enough to flavour and make the pasta appetising and should not be too less in quantity. Butternut Squash Ravioli Ingredients For the filling Butternut squash 500 gm Parmesan cheese 2 tbsp. Goat cheese 2 tbsp. Nutmeg, powder a pinch Egg yolk 1 no. Salt to taste Black pepper to taste Thyme leaves few sprigs Unsalted butter ½ cup Egg pasta sheets 400 gm For sauce Olive oil 2 tbsp Garlic 3-4 cloves Black olives 3-5 nos. Heavy cream ½ cup Salt to taste For the pasta sheets  Pasta flour 2 ½ cup Sea salt ¼ tsp Eggs 4 nos. Olive oil 2 tsp Garnish Basil few sprigs Method For the filling, preheat the oven at 350 Degree Fahrenheit, Cut the pumpkin and prick with a fork. Rub salt and oil on the pumpkin and roast for 40-45 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and cooked. Allow the pumpkin to cool down and scrape the flesh from the peel, chop using a knife to a medium coarse texture. Transfer the pumpkin puree to a bowl and add egg yolks, parmesan cheese, goat cheese, nutmeg, thyme leaves and salt. Mix well and add breadcrumbs as required to bind the mixture, keep aside. For the pasta sheets, sift the flour and salt on a work table. Combine eggs and olive oil and pour over the flour, combine well to make a smooth soft dough. Add more flour if it is too sticky and gradually add some more egg if the mixture is too dry. Keep the dough covered for 30 minutes, Divide the dough into two equal parts and roll using a rolling pin to a smooth pasta sheet. Place the prepared sheet on work table and grease with egg and place 1/2 tbsp. of the prepared filling almost 2 inches apart from each other. Carefully place the other layer and press gently on the space between the filling. Cut along the edges of the filling and press again with fork to secure each piece. In a large pot boil water with salt, add the ravioli and simmer over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, Check with knife to see if the pasta is cooked. In the meanwhile, heat olive oil in a heavy bottom pan and add crushed garlic, olive oil and heavy cream, adjust the seasoning. Drain the ravioli to remove excess moisture, place it in a plate, pour the prepared sauce on top. Garnish with basil sprig, serve hot. * Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

As a kid, I was fond of sweets and always enjoyed them in big portions. I still remember when I had the dhoda burfi for the first time. The burfi got me mesmerised with its gooey texture, taste and rich ingredients. The dish became my instant favourite among all the other sweets. It is a dessert and sweet which is like a treat for anyone having it. Dhoda burfi’s history is not that old and has been around since 1912. The dish originated in Khushab, Pakistan. Almost all the shops in and around the region claim it to be their own original recipe and the inventor of this dish. This is not just a local favourite but people all over the world demand it from their relatives while travelling abroad to get them a box of this popular sweet, they call it Khushabi Dhoda. Khushab is a combination of two Persian words “Khush” meaning sweet and “Aab” meaning water, translating to sweet water. An old story relates this to the Persian invaders from the west, who first used this word to describe the water in the historical city situated on the bank of Jhelum river. With the passage of time the city became popular for its delicious dhoda burfi. Dhoda burfi was invented as a form of energy food by Hans Raj, a local wrestler in Khushab. Conscious about his diet he wanted a food item which will be easy to carry around and yet provide energy and nutrients required during his wrestling sessions. He experimented and tried different combinations of high energy foods like wheat, milk, dry fruits. He then introduced this dhoda fudge cake which was full of taste and served as an energy bar for him. Later, he commercialised the recipe and thus started to be known as dhoda. After the Indo-Pak partition in 1947, his family moved to Kotkapura, Punjab, India and handed over the recipe to the local sweet makers in Khushab. Now, khushab is the land associated with the origin and pride of Dhoda. Dhoda is quite a simple dish and takes almost an hour to prepare. The ingredients needed to prepare Dhoda are milk, sugar, broken wheat, clarified butter, dry fruits like pistachio, walnuts, cashew nuts and peanuts. The preparation involves soaking the broken wheat and then cooking it in milk till it absorbs all the milk and becomes grainy and thick. Glucose is added to make the mixture stick together. The dhoda burfi is almost complete when the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan. In the last some water is sprinkled to smoothen the mixture. The mixture eventually turns brown which indicates that the dhoda is cooked properly. After cooling down, it is transferred on a tray greased with ghee and Dhoda is spread evenly. To make it richer and tempting, nuts like cashew nuts, pistachio, walnuts, almonds are sprinkled on top. Dhoda burfi is then cut into squares and can be eaten right away or stored in airtight container for later use. You can prepare this burfi beforehand and can also serve in lunch box for your kids as a part of high energy diet. Dhoda burfi Ingredients Milk 4 cups Heavy cream 1 cup Sugar 2 cups Cracked wheat 4 tbsp Clarified butter 1 tbsp Cashew nuts ¼ cup Almonds ¼ cup Cocoa powder 2 tbsp Cardamom powder 1 tsp Garnish Grated coconut to garnish Method In a heavy bottom pan, stir fry the cracked wheat over medium heat, till it turns brown in colour. In a heavy bottom pan, bring milk to boil and add heavy cream, stir to avoid burning. Let it boil till the milk thickens for about 40 minutes, stir and scrape the sides to avoid burning and milk buildup. Add the cracked wheat and sugar, mix well and keep cooking over slow heat for 20-25 minutes. Add coco powder and mix well, add chopped cashew nuts, almonds and stir continuously till the mixture becomes soft like soft dough. The burfi should start leaving the sides and should start leaving the butter. Transfer the Dhoda burfi to a plate and flatten it using a spatula. Let it stand for 30 minutes and cut into squares or rectangles in about ½ inch or desired size. While dhoda is still warm sprinkle some chopped pistachio and grated coconut, and press gently to stick the pistachio on Dhoda burfi. Dhoda is ready to serve when it is at room temperature. Dhoda will stay good for about two weeks at room temperature or refrigerate in air tight container for one to two months. Note: I used cocoa powder to give some chocolatey taste and colour to the Dhoda, instead you can caramelise sugar and add to the mixture for brown colour. * Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Indian cuisine is so vast that it would need a life-time for anyone to fully understand and know it all. Whenever I meet new people from different parts of India, there is always a discussion on food. During a recent meeting with a person from south India, there was a discussion on local foods. One of the dishes that was discussed was puran poli. It is undoubtedly on the most popular sweet dishes of Maharashtra, which is prepared by roasting delicious chana dal and jaggery stuffed puran poli in clarified butter. Puran poli is prepared specially on festivals and everyone enjoys eating this delectable sweet dish.  It is super easy to make this dish at home and you can always prepare it before hand and keep it in air tight container. They keep good for three to five days. India, being a predominantly vegetarian country, has a large variety of vegetarian dishes and I can’t think of any other country which combines flour and lentils in a sweet dish too. Different communities in India have their own version of sweet shallow fried bread, a toothsome layer of sweetened toor dal wrapped in a pastry shell. The Maharashtrians call it puran poli and in Karnataka it is called obbattu. Obbattu is an unleavened, traditional flatbread made with all-purpose flour and stuffed with sweetened Bengal gram and some recipes also include coconut. With the changes in traditions, cultures and rituals all over India, there are various types and methods available to prepare puran poli that varies according to states and regions. In Nagpur, use of sugar is common in puran poli, whereas in Maharashtra, stuffing is quite less. In south India, stuffing is prepared with jaggery and coconut. The Parsi people use dry fruits and essence and make it like a pudding with one layer on one side. In Maharashtra, puran poli is commonly prepared with chana dal. Half sugar and half jaggery is used to make the stuffing. Dal is firstly steamed in a pressure cooker until it is completely soft to crush. A jaggery or sugar is then added to it. This mixture must be completely mashed, so that no whole lentil is visible in the mixture. For the covering, whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour is mixed with water and milk. The dough formed is used for the outer covering of the puran poli. Just like normal paratha, the stuffing of dal and jaggery, which is commonly known as puran, is filled inside the outer covering and is then pressed lightly with the rolling pin in round shape disk. The poli first has to be roasted on a pan from both the sides until it is cooked and is golden brown in colour. A home-made ghee (clarified butter) is used for frying the puran poli which makes it even more delicious. It is very easy to make and easy to eat. They are kind of like paratha and can be eaten after few days too. Some people also use khoya, cashew and almonds powder and cardamom powder for the additional flavours. When a dish becomes popular then food enthusiasts start making new versions of the same. Ravyachi puran poli is made with rava, instead of the wheat flour, rava is mixed with milk and is used for outside covering and stuffing is made of wheat flour like regular puran poli, but stuffing is made from fresh strawberries and rava. It tastes delicious and is a treat for kids and strawberry lovers. Tikhat or spicy puran poli has a spicy stuffing and is made with gram lentils, turmeric, chilli, cumin seeds, pepper, coriander and salt and the covering is made from wheat flour and all-purpose flour. A perfectly prepared puran poli will taste heavenly and is a work of skill and required practice to make it perfect. Puran Poli Ingredients Refined flour 2 cups Chana dal ½ cup Salt to taste Clarified butter 5 tbsp. Sugar 1/3 cup Jaggery 1/3 cup Green cardamom powder ½ tsp Method Sift the refined flour in a bowl and add 2 tbsp clarified butter and salt. Mix well to combine and add lukewarm water gradually and knead to a soft dough. Cover and keep aside to rest for 20-25 minutes. In the meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. Wash chana dal and soak it for 2-3 hours. Cook the chana dal in a heavy bottom container with adequate water and salt. Cook till the dal is completely cooked, remove from flame and drain the water. Blend the boiled dal in a blender to make a paste. In a heavy bottom pan, take the chana dal paste and add sugar and jaggery. Stir continuously to avoid burning the mixture. Add cardamom powder to the mixture and keep aside. Divide the dough into lemon sized dough balls. Take a dough ball and roll it flat, apply some ghee on the rolling pin and roll into 3-4 inch diameter. Place adequate filling and roll again to a circular disk. Cook over medium heat on a hot plate, flip to cook from other side too. Apply clarified butter on one side and cook on the buttered side to brown the puran poli, serve hot. *Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Being a chef and a food enthusiast, I am always on a look out for interesting recipes, food trends and dishes from all over the world. Last few days, I have being trying to eat gluten free meals two times a day and it is working out perfect for me. I feel much lighter and more energetic as ever. Also, I have included a large selection of gluten free dishes in my restaurant menu. There is a huge demand for those dishes and people regularly dine in to enjoy the dishes more than ever. Corn is a gluten free ingredient, which is versatile and easily available. The recipe I have chosen this week is bhutte ka kees, which is from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. Bhutte ka kees is an easy recipe that you can prepare for your tea break and it keeps you fuller for long time. This is a popular snacks item from Indore and can be prepared in less than 30 minutes. In the recipe, a coarse corn paste is made and cooked with ginger, green chili, curry leaves and other common house-hold spices. Serve bhutte ka kees with masala chai and cookies, a perfect tea time combination.  Talking about the place of origin of the dish, Madhya Pradesh – Madhya means centre and Pradesh means region. As the name denotes it is the state in the centre of Indian peninsula. The state is surrounded by Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujrat and Rajasthan. The best part of Indian cuisine is its versatility and variety, every state will have its own cuisine, cooking and eating trends. The cuisines, though different from state to state, often overlap from the neighbouring region. Madhya Pradesh has a large tribal population. Bhopal is the capitol, Gwalior is a historical city and Indore is the largest city and the commercial capital of the state. Madhya Pradesh being a large state, the cuisine varies from region to region. In northern and western parts of the state, wheat and meat are common and in the southern and eastern region, rice and fish are more abundant and eaten accordingly. Indore is also known for its street food specialties and they have a street known as ‘Chatori Gali” translating as foodie’s street. The street is always flocked with tourists and locals wanting to savour mouth-watering local street food dishes and is almost always busy. Some of the specialties from the state are bhutte ka kees, chakki ka shaak, srikhand, malpua, Bhopali kebab, poha and jalebi and dal bafla. One of the best things about corn is that it is gluten free cereal, similar to some of the newer pseudo grains like quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, millet. But corn comes at a fraction of their cost and is easily available. The calories are slightly on the higher side about 85 per 100 gms when compared to other vegetables. But fresh sweet corn is lower in calories than other cereal grains like wheat and rice, which still makes it a healthier choice. Most of the calorie count comes from simple carbohydrates like glucose, sucrose rather than complex sugars like amylose and amylopectin, which is a case in the cereals and wheat which we should try and cut down in our daily diet. Sweet corn is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins and antioxidants in addition to minerals in moderate proportions. Bhutte ka kees Ingredients Sweet corn 2 cup Clarified butter 1 tbsp Milk 1 cup Cumin seeds ½ tsp Curry leaves 2-3 sprigs Mustard seeds ½ tsp Green chilli, chopped 2 no. Ginger, grated 1 tsp Turmeric powder ½ tsp Red chilli powder 1/3 tsp Asafetida ¼ tsp Sugar ½ tsp Lemon juice 1 tsp Salt to taste Coriander leaves, chopped 2 tbsp. Method Steam the sweet corn is a steamer or boil in a closed vessel to cook the corn. Drain the water and remove the corn kernels, or You can also use ready-made sweet corn kernel for the above step. Add the steamed corn with milk in a food processor and make a coarse paste out of it, keep aside. In a heavy bottom pan heat the clarified butter over medium heat, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafetida and cook till the seeds splutter. Add ginger green chilies, turmeric powder and salt, sauté for 30 seconds. Add the corn paste and cook for 3-5 minutes and add red chili powder. Add more milk and sugar, cook for another 5 minutes. Stir well to avoid sticking or burning, add some moisture if required. Drizzle lemon juice and add chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with masala chai or ready-made coffee. Note: You can also add some ready-made sev, chopped onion and tomato to make it more. delicious and add crunch to it. * Chef Tarun Kapoor,  Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Being from northern part of India, I always liked and was inclined towards the south Indian dishes like Dosa and Idli as a child but never got to travel to southern India. As I grew, my love for south Indian dishes also increased and especially when I decided to be a chef. My outlook towards south Indian cuisine broadened and I started researching more about the cuisine in the early days of my culinary career. That’s when I came across a dish called Paniyaram and that instantly became my third favourite after Dosa and Idli. Also during my beautiful days in Qatar, where there is a large south Indian population, these were frequent additions to my restaurant menu and were served on special occasion in buffet too. South India mainly comprises of four states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Rice is a staple in these states thus a lot of dishes revolve around rice. Also, these states have abundance of spice production which are also freely incorporated in their respective cuisines. Chettinad cuisine uses a lot of spices and I would say is the most spicy cuisine in Indian subcontinent. The dish comes from Tamil Nadu, a state known for its delicious signature dishes that originated in the region. It is made with a specific mold called paniyaram pan which is available in almost all supermarkets in India, Middle Eastern and South-East Asia regions due to the large south Indian population in these foreign lands. People, who like their Dosa and Idli would love this dish too as the batter used to make them is very similar. The batter recipes mostly include rice and lentil fermented batter but I prefer to add chopped onions, carrots, chili, curry leaves to the batter to spice it up. It is mostly served as a breakfast dish with coconut chutney or spicy tomato chutney.  A special cooking pan or tray with several round compartments like a mini muffin tray is the traditional cookware used for making Paniyaram. The pan is made with cast iron and is very durable. The benefit of cooking in cast iron utensils is that the iron imparts a great taste to the dishes cooked in it and retains heat well and gives a nice golden-brown crust to Paniyaram. Non-stick paniyaram pans are also available but I prefer the cast iron simply for their long life and great taste they impart to dish cooked in them. At first a batter is made from combining rice and washed black lentil, known as ‘urad dal’. Fenugreek seeds and salt are used to season the batter. The batter is made by soaking the ingredients preferably overnight. Then grinding it to a paste and letting it ferment at room temperature. The grinder used to make the batter is made from a special stone which grounds the rice and lentils to desired thickness. Now a day, you get a ready-made batter in almost all supermarkets and thus simplifying the whole process of soaking, grinding and fermentation. You just add some additives to the batter if you wish and then cook them in paniyaram pan. Additional ingredients like carrots, ginger, green chili, black pepper, onions, curry leaves, mustard seeds can also be added to the batter to make it more flavourful. After mixing the batter is poured into the pan’s compartment and placed in an open or cooked on flame. After a while the buns must be flipped in their own shell to cook and crust them from other side too. A perfect paniyaram should have a golden-brown crust all around it. The paniyaram are served with coconut chutney but you can replace that with your choice of sauce. When you add additional flavourings to the batter you can even consume it without any sauce along. These are one of the great lunch box ideas for kids as they are simple, fresh and kids like eating these small round buns. Chettinad Paniyaram  Ingredients Idli Batter 3 cups Onion, chopped 1 no. Green chili, chopped 2-3 no. Curry leaves 2-3 sprigs Eggs 2 no. Coriander leaves, chopped 2 tbsp. Mustard seeds ½ tsp Asafetida ½ tsp Turmeric powder 1 tsp Cumin powder 2 tsp Red chili powder 2 tsp Black pepper powder ½ tsp Grated coconut ½ cup Salt to taste Cooking oil to cook Method In a heavy bottom pan heat oil over medium heat, add mustard seeds and let it splutter for few seconds Add onion, ginger, green chilies, asafetida and curry leaves and sauté for few seconds till the onion is translucent Add turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin, red chili powder, black pepper powder and grated coconut and stir for few minutes Remove from flame and keep aside In a separate bowl add egg to the batter, add the prepared onion mixture and chopped cilantro leaves and adjust the seasoning Combine well to a homogeneous mixture, keep aside Heat the paniyaram pan over medium heat and add ½ tsp oil in each cup Drop the prepared batter using a table soon into each cup Cover with the lid and cook over medium flame for 4-5 minutes, flip the cakes using a fork in their own cup and cook again covered for 5 minutes Add more oil if required, you can also use a pan spray to coat the pan and prevent them sticking to the pan Serve hot with coconut chutney or your choice of sauce. * Chef Tarun Kapoor,  Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

During a recent trip to Dallas, Texas and a visit to a local restaurant, owned by a Hyderabadi entrepreneur, reminded me of a long lost dish - Lukhmi. It is always a great feeling to see people preparing their traditional food and serving them far away from their hometowns and carry the legacy forward. Lukhmi was the hot selling item in their menu and patrons used to flock for this delicacy. So what is Lukhmi? It is everything that can satisfy a true food connoisseur. It is a snack that has no comparison, It is spicy, tangy, lamb mince encased in flaky pastry, layered, crispy fried. Lukhmi is a bite sized snack, hence the name ‘Lukhmi’ derived from the word ‘Luqma’ meaning small bite. It is served as a starter in Hyderabad and specially during festive occasions. Hyderabadi cuisine has the rich legacy of the Nizams and deep influence of Turkish, Mughal and Arabic cultures. The cuisine is rich, refined and involves dishes that are meticulously prepared and served in their traditional style. Even the day to day food is prepared and served as if it is a work of art. When Hyderabadi cuisine is mentioned, the first thing that comes to the mind is the Hyderabadi biryani, but there is much more than that. There is a long list of recipes and dishes that are on the verge of extinction due to the modern and busy lifestyle and availability of other common food items in supermarkets. Once found on the table in almost every Irani Café, the flavoured mince meat stuffed starter is slowly disappearing. Dishes like Lukhmi, Shikampuri kebab, Sheer khurma are few of them Lukhmi might appear to be a variation of popular samosa, another stuffed and deep fried savoury pastry from the region but they differ greatly. The moment you bite into the crisp, fluffy, light pastry of Lukhmi you will realise it is a class of its own. The filling is traditionally made with lamb mince but you can also choose chicken or beef. Use as little oil as possible to cook the mince meat and cook till it is completely dry. Any excess liquid in the filling will make it difficult to prepare and pastry go soggy. When making lukhmi for Iftar or big gatherings, you can cook the minced meat ahead and freeze or refrigerate. You can also make the pastry dough in advance and refrigerate it covered with plastic wrap for a day or two. You can make your Lukhmi with your choice of meat like chicken, lamb or beef. Vegetable stuffing can also be prepared. Keema Lukhmi Serves 8 Ingredients For the Lukhmi Pastry All purpose flour 2 cups Semolina ½ cup Clarified butter 1/3 cup Salt to taste Warm water 1 cup Oil to deep fry For filling Lamb mince 500 gm Red onion, chopped 1 no. Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp Red chili powder 1 tsp Cumin powder 1 tsp Coriander powder 1 tsp Turmeric powder ½ tsp Salt to taste Lemon juice 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped ¼ cup Mint leaves, chopped 1/2 cup Green chili 2-3 no. Oil 2 tbsp Accompaniment Tamarind chutney to accompany Mint chutney Method To prepare the filling for Lukhmi, heat oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat Add chopped onions, till they are light brown, add ginger garlic paste and sauté for few minutes Add all the spices and add the mince meat and stir to avoid burning the meat Reduce the heat and add water if required, cover and cook the meat till fully cooked Drizzle lemon juice and ensure the mixture is dry, remove from flame Sprinkle chopped coriander, mint and chopped green chili and keep aside For the pastry, sift flour in a mixing bowl Add semolina and salt, rub in clarified butter and add water gradually Make a firm yet elastic dough, knead well to make the dough smooth, cover with plastic wrap and leave aside for 10 minutes Divide the dough into equal sized dough balls Flour a work top, flatten a dough ball onto the work top Roll out a big, thin bread, brush clarified butter and dust flour and fold it like an envelope, roll again Repeat this process two more times, you can allow the dough to rest in refrigerator between each fold for about 10 invites Cut 3 inch square out of the rolled dough, place 1 tbsp of mince meat mixture in the centre Brush the sides with water, Cover with another square or turn half of the triangle over the other half to make a triangular pastry Press the edges with a dusted flour to seal the pastry Repeat for the remaining dough and prepared filling Heat oil in a very deep bottom pan over medium heat and fry 204 prepared Lukhmis to the hot oil, fry till light golden and puffed Drain on a sieve to remove excess oil, serve hot immediately with mint chutney or tamarind chutney Note: You can prepare the Lukhmi in advance and half fry them and then store them in freezer for later use. Just thaw them in microwave for a minute and then deep fry them to light golden brown colour. * Chef Tarun Kapoor,   Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

It is the time of the year when we welcome our favourite mango called the king of fruits. I can easily say that it is the most popular, nutritionally rich fruit with unique flavour, fragrance, taste and health promising benefits. Mango is also classified as a super fruit. Mango is a tropical fruit believed to be originating in the sub Himalayan plains of the Indian subcontinent about 5,000 years ago. The exotic fruit belongs to the same family of trees as for pistachio and cashew nut and there is a clear resemblance in shape of all these three fruits. Being a seasonal fruit, does not limit its consumption. Fresh mangoes are eaten around the world every day more than any other fruit. Mango comes in many different shapes, sizes and colours including yellow, orange, red and green. The vitamin content of mango depends on the variety and maturity of the fruit. When a mango is green and still growing there is a high vitamin C content, as the fruit ripens and matures the amount of vitamin A increases. Giving someone a basket of mangoes is considered a gesture of friendship. Many people use a box of seasonal ripe mangoes as a gift for friends and family when the fruit is in season. One of the oldest living mango tree is 300 years old and is found in East Khandesh. Surprisingly, this tree still produces viable fruit. Mango is a tropical tree cultivated in many regions of India, and now its farming has been extended wide across the world in many continents. After flowering, its fruits grow at the end of a long, string-like peduncle, with sometimes more than one fruit to a peduncle. Each fruit measures 5 to 15 cms in length and about 4 to 10 cms in width, and has typical ‘mango’ shape, or sometimes oval or round. Its weight ranges from 150 g to around 750 g. Outer skin, pericarp is smooth and is green in un-ripe mangoes but turns in ripe fruits into golden yellow, crimson red, yellow or orange-red depending upon the cultivar type. Fresh mango season lasts from April until August. One of the best tasting mangoes is Alphonso mango known for its big size, meaty flesh and delicate tart and sweet taste. Mango comes in different shapes and sizes depending upon cultivar types. Internally, its flesh, mesocarp is juicy, orange-yellow in colour with numerous soft fibrils radiating from its centrally placed flat, oval-shaped stone, enveloping a single large kidney-shaped seed. Its flavour is pleasant and rich and tastes sweet with a mild tartness. A high-quality mango fruit should feature no or very less fibre composition and minimal tartness. Wash mangoes in cold running water in order to remove dust/dirt and any surface chemical residue. Pat dry its outer skin using a soft cloth. Mango fruit should be eaten all alone without any seasonings, additions to experience its rich flavour. One question which many people ask is what is the right way to cut a mango?  Cut the fruit lengthwise into three pieces in such a way that the middle portion consists of husky seed. Then, slice through the skin to separate the skin from the pulp. Chop pulp into desired sections. Alternatively, using a sharp knife, cut through the flesh on either side of the central seed (stone). This way, you get two big halves of a mango fruit and a central stone portion. Then, take one-half and score the flesh in a horizontal and vertical pattern taking care not to cut deep through the skin. Fresh mango cubes are a great addition to fruit salads, smoothies, shakes.  Mango fruit is also used to prepare jam, jelly, ice cream and in sweet-candy industries. Unripe, raw, green mango has been in use in the preparation of pickles, jam, marmalade, and chutney in the Asian countries. Mango fruit is rich in pre-biotic dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds. The below recipe is one of my favourite recipe now a days.  Mahakali Mango Masala Ingredients Serves 2 Chicken breast (800 gm) 1 no Mango purée 1 cup Mango fresh 1 no. Tomato purée 3 cup Ginger, chopped 1 tbsp Paprika powder 1 tsp Coriander leaves few sprigs Cashew nut ¼ cup Salt to taste Coriander powder 1 tsp Mango, diced ½ cup Cooking cream 1/3 cup Kasoori methi 1 tbsp Garnish Mint leaves to garnish Cooking cream to garnish Method Heat oil in a heavy bottom sauce pan add ginger, tomato purée, coriander powder, salt, cashew-nut, coriander leaves, paprika powder Bring to boil and simmer over slow flame to cook the tomato sauce for 25-30 minutes Remove the sauce from flame and blend to a smooth sauce, keep aside In a separate pan heat oil and sauté diced chicken breast, stir to avoid burning it  Add the prepared sauce to the chicken, add diced mango and mango purée Once the chicken is cooked add cooking cream and adjust the seasoning, sprinkle kasoori methi Serve hot garnished with mint sprig and heavy cream along with choice of bread or rice. * Chef Tarun Kapoor,   Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

The date palms are one of the most commonly grown plantation in Qatar. They are found all over the region and are in abundance especially during Ramadan. Date plantations help combat desertification, offer protection to other crops and are a good source of human nutrition. Dates are the first export product of Qatar, amounting up-to 15,000 metric tones few years back. During holiday season I used to plan visit to dates plantations outside Doha and pluck fresh dates from the trees. My son particularly used to like fresh dates and it was a fun activity for him to pluck dates from the farm an experience a different side of living in Qatar. Dates are an important source of nutrition in the food diet of the local population in Qatar. Western countries are yet to adapt the nutritious food as a part of their regular diet, but they are becoming more aware about the superfood. Fresh dates are rich in simple sugars like fructose and dextrose.  On consumption, they replenish energy quickly to the body. That’s why dates are commonly used to break the fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also used to break his fast by consuming dates. Dates are low in fat and high in carbohydrates and other elements. Research studies have reported that dates are rich in macro elements mainly potassium, phosphorous, calcium, chlorine and magnesium and have appreciable quantities of micro elements essentially iron, manganese, copper and zinc. The fruit has antioxidants like beta carotene, lutein, Zena- zanthin and tannins. These antioxidants possess anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer properties. The peak season for dates is from mid autumn through mid winter, October through January in the northern hemisphere. Select plump, shiny dates. Stay away from dates that are too sticky or covered with crystallised sugar. Most dates will need to be pitted before they can be used for cooking or eating out of hand. When you get ready to pit them, dust your knife blade with flour to prevent the dates from sticking to the knife. You can keep dates wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Dry dates well packaged in plastic can be refrigerated for 10 to 12 months. The Middle East produces most of the world’s dates. California grows most of the dates produced in North America. The development cycle of the date fruit is divided into five distinct stages; 1 Habakuk - development of a small white fruit after a week of pollination.  2 Kimri - At about 5-17 weeks there is a visible change of fruit colour and size. The fruit is small and green and slowly turns yellow and red. 3 Khalal - In 18 -25 weeks, the fruit grows longer and turns either fully yellow or red. The fruits are quite hard but can be consumed. 4 Rutab - the fruit ripens in another 5-7 weeks, turns brown in colour and getting ready to be harvested. 5 Tamr - Three weeks post the rutab stages, the ripened fruit is harvested. The date palm can tolerate high levels of salinity and is relatively drought resistant than other fruit trees. These characteristics make it suitable to be cultivated in the arid regions of the world. The crop was ranked as one of the high research priority for agricultural research in the Central and West Asia and North Africa region by national research institutions in the Gulf countries. Eating large quantities of food immediately after fasting is not healthy for the body, which is in a weakened condition. Since dates are a slow digesting food, they keep one fuller for longer and give the body time to digest their essential nutrients. They also kick-start the body’s digestive process and give it energy to process more complex foods. No wonder they are known as a superfood in eastern cultures. Dates also make a great ingredient for different dishes due to their rich nutrition and naturally sweet taste. orange and date salad, cinnamon roasted fig, orange and date tartlets and spicy carrot and ginger soup, date brownies, date smoothies are some of my favourites, and I will be sharing more delicious Ramadan recipes over the next week. Lamb shank with dates and chickpeas Ingredients Lamb shanks 4 nos Olive oil 2 tbsp Chickpeas 1 cup Garlic 3 cloves Ginger, chopped ½ tbsp Coriander powder ½ tsp Paprika powder ½ tsp Nutmeg powder 1/ tsp Lemon juice 11 tbsp Tomato paste ½ cup Black pepper to taste Salt to taste Onion 1 no Celery 2-3 stalk Cinnamon stick 2 nos Dates, chopped 1/3 cup Lemon wedge 4 nos Method Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight  In a blender combine garlic, ginger, coriander, nutmeg, lemon juice, tomato paste, salt and pepper and make a paste Heat oil in a heavy bottom vessel, add lamb shanks and cook until golden brown on both sides, transfer the lamb from the vessel and keep aside Add onion and celery to the vessel and cook until light golden Stir in the spice paste and cook for 2 minutes Add chickpeas and water and reduce the heat, and gently simmer for 45 minutes Preheat oven to 325 degree Fahrenheit, add lamb shank and cinnamon stick to the vessel Cover and cook until lamb is tender and completely cooked Add chopped dates and cook for 15 minutes Serve hot garnished with lemon wedge along steamed rice. * Chef Tarun Kapoor,  Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Who does not want to enjoy a restaurant style professionally cooked food at the comfort of their home. Everyone has a preference of fancy and exotic restaurant style food. The way food is prepared, garnished and served in a professional kitchen has its own special charm. People always compare food cooked by them at home with the one cooked professionally. I am always asked on how the professionally cooked food tastes so much better. My answer is about the salt content of the restaurant style cooked food, restaurants always keep the salt content quite higher and enrich the food with other seasoning and flavourings to make it taste better. One common food that is often compared is the biryani and Ramadan is the right occasion to discuss an exotic yet simple biryani recipe with readers. We all enjoy a perfectly cooked biryani with the right amount of seasoning with tender and juicy cooked meat with aromatic long grain rice.  As we have discussed earlier the origin of the dish is up for debate, but most historians agree that this dish emerged in Persia, probably as an infused mix of rice and meat, and travelled to the Indian sub-continent through trade, pilgrimage, and conquest. In South Asia biryani became an instant hit. Many regional varieties are popular with subtle differences and variations. There have always been an ongoing debate on the versions and recipes for these biryanis. Every biryani has four integral parts- Rice, Meat/Vegetable, Marinade and Herbs/Seasoning. Rice - The most commonly preferred rice used to make biryani is basmati rice, which has its own unique nutty and rich aroma and is long grained and turns milky white after cooked. There are many different sub varieties which are also aged to enhance the quality of the the rice. My father always stock more basmati rice as required to age it and enhance its quality. Some regional varieties of biryani use a number of native grains, mainly from south India. Meat/vegetable – Chicken, mutton, goat, fish, shrimps, and beef are all used in biryani, based on regional preferences and availability. India being a predominantly vegetarian nation also boasts a variety of vegetable biryanis too. Marinade - Spiced yoghurt based marinades are the most common. Yoghurt tenderises meats and also give a tart taste to the biryani. Yoghurt also gives body to the marinade and combines all the spices and flavourings and blends it to a paste. Spices and marinades - Biryani is a dish which heavily relies on the spices and aromatic ingredients used to enhance it. Biryani’s richness and complexity comes in part from its layer of spices. Both ground and whole spices as well as spice mixes, such as garham masala are used in the cooking of biryani. The biryani is garnished with dry fruits and nuts, caramelised onions and more fresh herbs. Biryani based on cooking process Mainly, there are three different types of biryani cooking process- dum cooking, kacchi biryani, pukki biryani. Dum cooked – It is a patient worthy slow cooking method in which the parboiled rice and raw marinated meat are layered in a heavy bottom vessel and the lid is sealed and secured with dough and is cooked over very slow flame for long time. Kacchi biryani - A method in which raw marinated meat is layered with raw rice and cooked together, dum style. Pukki biryani - A popular biryani cooking method in which meat and rice are par-cooked separately and assembled and steamed together. Chicken Biryani Recipe Ingredients For rice Basmati rice 1 ½ cup Butter 2 tbsp Oil 1 tbsp Bay leaf few leaves Salt 2 tbsp Cardamom green 4-5 pods Cloves 3-4 cloves Cinnamon stick 1-2 stick Milk ½ cup For Chicken marinade Chicken (bone in/ boneless) 500 gm Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp Oil 2 tbsp Green chili, chopped 1 tbsp Onion, sliced 1 cup Tomato, chopped ½ cup Yoghurt ½ cup Turmeric, powder 1 tsp Coriander powder 2 tsp Red chili powder 1 tsp Kasoori methi 1 tbsp For assembly Saffron strands few strands Cardamom powder ½ tsp Cilantro, chopped 2 tbsp Mint leaves, chopped 2 tbsp Fried onion 2 tbsp Garam masala 1 tsp Rose water 1 tbsp Method Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes Heat 4 cups of water in a wide base container with salt, milk and seasonings Add drained rice to the boiling water and bring to boil , reduce the flame and simmer over slow flame Cover with lid and turn off the flame when the moisture evaporates Before you start cooking the rice, wash and pat dry the chicken pieces and marinate with yoghurt, ginger garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder Refrigerate the chicken for 30 minutes, preferably prepare this a night before for better taste Heat oil in a skillet and add the sliced onion and sauté till light brown Add tomato and sauté till tomato softens, add the marinated chicken to the skillet Cover and cook till the chicken is cooked, adjust the seasoning In a separate heavy bottom pan add a layer of rice, sprinkle with kasoori methi, saffron dissolved in water and chopped cilantro and mint Layer the prepared chicken and place a layer of rice and add the remaining saffron water and cilantro leaves and mint leaves, drizzle rose water Cover with an air tight lid and place the vessel in an oven at 200 degree Fahrenheit for 15 minutes Serve hot garnished with fried sliced onions and garam masala and raita on side. * Chef Tarun Kapoor,  Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Ramadan is a perfect time to enjoy lavish Iftar with friends and families. I have always seen people flock the dessert stations more than they are towards the entrée selection, that is why all the places in Doha have a very lavish dessert buffets. So lets start this Ramadan with a sweet note and I will share my knowledge about a popular sweet retreat Kulfi Falooda. If you grew up in India like me then I am sure you must have memories of Indian summer. If you remember the summer, then there must also be kulfi somewhere there. Well! I have some fond memories of those summer evenings. In our town, like any other town of India, we had a street where all these vendors would come and line up in the evening selling street food. Aloo chat, gol gappe, sugarcane juice and then there were falooda kulfi stalls. Kulfi falooda as the name suggests- is comprised of mainly two parts. One is kulfi - the traditional frozen dessert available in many flavours. The second part is falooda which is the sweetened cornflour vermicelli served along the frozen kulfi. Then the dish is drizzled with rose syrup and is garnished with basil seeds and dry fruits like almonds and pistachio. I always say that falooda is a dessert disguised as a drink because as you indulge in this delicate dessert the melted kulfi along with rose syrup and sweetened falooda accumulates as a great drink in the glass bottom. That is why kulfi falooda is served with a spoon and a straw to enjoy the dessert and drink at the same time. When it comes to falooda though, the whole is always greater than that of its parts. Sweet, refreshing, smooth, cool, crunchy, and velvety, it engages the palate on many levels simultaneously and is a perfect antidote for summers. It is believed that falooda began its life journey  a decadent concoction in the royal courts of Mughal Emperor Jehangir, Akbar’s son. He had a great curiosity and interest about anything novel and unique. A favourites among other dishes was falooda, a rich jelly like drink made from the straining of boiled wheat mixed with fruits and cream. Others say that king Nader Shah brought it with him when he came to India. Of course whichever way you look at it, this was a royal drink meant for a royalty.  Soon the dish escaped its gilded cage and began its journey across the nation, which is where it transformed into the cool, colourful dessert- drink as it is today. Other versions of falooda are common in other parts of Asia too. Halo Halo, the traditional Philippines dessert is a similar combination of ingredients, evaporated milk, coconut, yam ice cream with tropical fruits. Singaporean condolence is made up of shaved ice in a lake of coconut and condensed milk with a golden brown palm sugar syrup drizzled over it. Malaysia ups the ante with its ice laccha good that adds jelly, red beans, fruits, peanut, ice cream, sweet corn and ore to candol. Mauritian bubble tea is made of milk, basil seeds, agar agar, strawberry or vanilla syrup and is called alouda. Rich creamy kulfi topped with falooda and rose syrup is a dessert which finds a place only at special occasions at Indian buffet counter. Kulfi is our very own Indian ice-cream made from thickened and reduced milk flavoured with saffron and cardamom.  With so much innovative chefs, hybrid versions of the falooda have sprung up. You can try new-fangled types made with chocolate sauce, strawberry and butterscotch kulfi falooda, kesar-flavored falooda, paan-masala falooda,  the Shirazi falooda with pistachio ice cream, and a profusion of nuts and falooda laced with seasonal fruit, my personal favourite is the mango and is widely popular. A perfect falooda needs a perfect balance, not too sugary, they should be thick and creamy enough to fill stomach. Another version of kulfi falooda is the rabri falooda . Rabri is sweetened and reduced milk laced with dry fruits, cardamom and saffron and is perfumed with rose water. The Modern Falooda in India In fact, so beloved is the falooda that even the latest and the hippest restaurants serve it. Sucres des Terres has created a sundae version of it for Bombay Canteen, with layers of vermicelli, strawberry jelly, basil seeds and rose ice cream topped with candied pistachio and a sweetened milk foam. Monkey Bar serves a Gadbad falooda with three scoops of ice cream, rose milk, praline and candied papaya. And Soda Bottle Opener Wala offers an Irani falooda, what they call a ‘classic Bombay falooda flavoured with strawberry’. It is really not that hard to make a falooda, since all the ingredients are available nowadays in shops. Buy the delicate cornflour vermicelli or falooda sev, some basil seeds, rose syrup, milk, dry fruits and nuts and ice cream. To prepare it, cook the vermicelli in boiling water until translucent but not too squishy. Soak the basil seeds in water till they swell up. Meanwhile, sweeten some hot milk with sugar, then chill the mixture. Pour into a tall glass, the rose syrup, the seeds, the falooda sev, the chilled milk and then throw in a scoop of ice cream. Garnish with the nuts and dry fruit. Of course, ideally, you should prepare the falooda sev and ice cream at home, but failing that, you can always turn to your neighbourhood grocery store. Some people put cubes of fruit-flavoured jelly, khus syrup or kulfi, but to my mind, that is all by way of gilding the lily. Kesar mango falooda For The Kesar Kulfi Milk full fat 1 lt Saffron few strands Cooking cream ½ cup Corn flour 1 tbsp Sugar ½ cup Cardamom powder ¼ tsp Mango pulp 1 cup Other ingredients Rose syrup 4 tbsp Falooda sev 1 cup For garnish Pistachio powder 1 tbsp Rose syrup 2 tbsp Basil seeds 1 tbsp Method Combine the saffron and warm milk in a small bowl, mix well and keep aside Combine the corn flour and ¼ cup of milk in a bowl, mix well and keep aside Heat the remaining milk in a non stick pan and boil on medium flame and bring to boil, while stirring  Reduce the milk to almost half and add cooking cream, mango pulp and stir Add the corn flour and sugar mixture, mix well and cook on a medium flame while stirring and scrapping the sides Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool completely Once cooled, add saffron milk mixture and cardamom powder and mix well Pour the mixture into kulfi mounds or a set them in tray, freeze overnight Boil the falooda sev in water till they turn translucent, remove from flame and refresh in ice cold water Soak the basil seeds in water for 10 minutes to allow them to swell up To demould rub a kulfi moulds between your Pam’s and then unmould it, if you set the kulfi in tray, cut the kulfi in square and place in a martini glass Place the chilled falooda on top, drizzle rose syrup Sprinkle chopped pistachio and place some basil seeds on top and serve cold * Chef Tarun Kapoor,  Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Kashmir has always been a special place in my heart. A place where I enjoyed working, learning and was impressed with its food offerings, culture and traditions. Kashmiri food denotes food from the picturesque Kashmir Valleyin the lap of the Himalayas. Kashmir not only offers mesmerising locations but also a wide range of lip smacking and exotic delicacies. Traditionally, rice has remained the staple food for the Kashmir populace, which is most popularly complimented with varied preparations of meat. Kashmiris, including the Brahmin Pandits, are meat eaters and thus a number of appetising and luscious Kashmiri dishes of meat like rogan josh and yakhni are available. While roganjosh has already made its mark and is quite popular, there are other delicious dishes that are equally good and exotic like the yakhni. Varied range of traditional Kashmiri breads like bakarkhani and tea like sheer chai are also popular in the region. Yakhni is a subtle yogurt and saffron based curry. This silky smooth curry with falling-off-the-bone meat is an absolute treat for non-vegetarians. Team it with a plate of aromatic pulao loaded with dry fruits, and you are sure to never forget this meal in your lifetime. Yes, that’s the power it holds even with its subtle flavouring. Yakhni refers to a light curry or broth which has to include two main ingredients other than the meat - yogurt and saffron (kesar). The yogurt brings in richness to the broth while saffron adds a tempting signature yellow hue and taste. You need to labour a little before being able to relish the slow-cooked dish. It is said that the yakhni came to be known in Kashmir during Akbar’s rule. Yogurt-based meat curries were part of Persian cuisine, and the emperor introduced this style of cooking to his new state when he annexed it in 1586. Akbar in fact influenced various regional cuisines of northern India and now part of Pakistan, which have now evolved to become exclusive cuisines by their own right. Yakhni dishes are also seen in Greek and Turkish cuisines, but what sets the Kashmiri yakhni apart is the absence of tomatoes. Certain recipes also avoid onions and garlic since the Kashmiri pandits did not use those ingredients in their cooking. At a time when almost all Indian curry recipes included turmeric, onions and tomatoes as base ingredients, yakhni was a class apart in their addition. While originally yakhni meant a light curry made with lamb meat, over the years it has gone on to include chicken and even vegetarian versions like Paneer Yakhni. So, how is yakhni made? The meat is first cooked along with a handful of spices to acquire an aromatic broth, then the pieces are removed and yoghurt is added and left to simmer. The meat pieces are again added back to the broth and it is slow-cooked for some more time to finally acquire the smooth texture with delicate meat. The spices that are commonly added are fennel seeds, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, among others. Another application of yakhni is the Yakhni Pulao, where rice is cooked in the broth along with the meat pieces to prepare a delectable meal. It is also referred to as Yakhni Biryani and served commonly with a side of raita. The Kashmir region offers a wide array of food items and has something for everyone. Particularly, authentic non-veg cuisines made of chicken, mutton and fish, some of which have become hugely popular across the nation. The Kashmiri cuisine is primarily non-vegetarian with of course some exquisite vegetarian dishes on offer are mostly influenced by the traditional cuisines of the Kashmiri pundits and the mughlai cuisines. Culinary styles and trends of regions like Afghanistan, Persia and Central Asia are also noticeable in Kashmiri food. Generally, Kashmiri cuisines, most of which are marked with ample use of turmeric and yogurt are quite rich in flavour and mild in taste. Spices like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and fennel which are generally considered hot and are used widely in different Kashmiri dishes, while garlic and onion are not used much. The region that boasts of being the world leading producer as well as exporter of saffron, uses this colouring and seasoning agent as an ingredient in many of its dishes specially sweets and pulao. The exquisite aromatic flavour of variety of dishes of this region, particularly seasoned with saffron, has become an integral part of Kashmiri food, some sort of a trademark, making it more enticing among gastronomic enthusiasts. Dry fruits are also used extensively in different Kashmiri dishes, especially in preparing curries and rice dishes.The unique aromatic flavour of Kashmiri rice has garnered much fame with the Kashmiri pulao topping the rice dishes giving stiff competition to the various other rice delicacies across the nation. Traditionally, ghee is used in cooking Kashmiri dishes, however, in modern day many health conscious Kashmiri families have switched to soybean and olive oil. The Kashmiri cuisine writeup without the term ‘Wazwan’ is always incomplete. Wazwan is traditional Kashmiri style of cuisine prepared by specialised cooks called Wazaas. This multi-course Kashmiri meal is considered essential for social gatherings and celebrations. The preparation of this cuisine is regarded as an art and the dishes are held with high regards in the region. This multi-course meal traditionally comprise 36 courses of which 15 to 30 can be meat-based. The non-veg items can be prepared out of fish, chicken and lamb but beef is never used. Dishes based on lentils or pulses at the time of this elaborate fest is not preferred. This popular cuisine has made its way not only to the leading hotels and restaurants in India and Pakistan but also to different international Kashmiri food festivals and occasions. Yakhni gosht Ingredients Goat cubes 800 gm Mustard oil 2 tbsp Fennel powder 2 tbsp Salt to taste Black Cumin seeds 1 tsp Bay leaves few leaves Asafoetida ½ tsp Cloves 5-6 nos. Cardamom black 5 pods Cinnamon 1 stick Yoghurt 3 cups Ghee 5-6 tbsp Coriander, chopped 2 tbsp Method Wash the goat cubes and drain the water and keep aside Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add the goat cubes  Fry over high heat to seal the goat meat Add salt and asaf0etida, water and fennel powder, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves Reduce the heat and simmer over slow flame to cook the goat cubes In a separate pan heat 1 tbsp oil and add black cumin seeds Add whisked yogurt and bring to boil Combine this yogurt to the goat mixture and simmer over slow flame Reduce the heat and sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves Serve hot with steam rice  Take a frying pan, put remaining oil and heat it till well, remove it from gas and put shah jeera and cloves in it. Again put the pan back on low flame and stir for one minute, add whisked yogurt and turn flames on high, keep stirring continuously so that it doesn’t curdle till it boils. Now add this boiling yogurt and pure ghee in the mutton and keep it on low flame for 5-6 minutes. Turn off the flames and garnish with fresh chopped coriander. * Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

A recent visit to a local Persian restaurant inspired me to share an insight about this cuisine with all the readers. As most of us will correlate Persian cuisine with familiar kebabs but let me tell you, this is a vast spectrum of dishes - Caviar, pickle and smoked fish in the north, samosas, falafel and hot and sour shrimp in the south, noodles flatbreads and rose water scented ice cream across the country. When looking at the world map, it is easy to understand why the scope of native Persian foods is so wide. Once the centre of the Persian empire, Iran neighboured former Soviet Union countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Arab states and Turkey. Although Iran is part of the Middle East, it has close ties to Europe, the far East and Africa, owing to its central place on the Silk Road trade route. The continuous invasions on Iran assimilated what the outsiders brought in. Many coveted ingredients are native to Iran, including pistachio, almonds, walnuts, saffron, mint, oranges, pomegranates and grapes. Iran has a variable climate with four distinct seasons unlike other parts of the Middle East, where dry and harsh climate limits the growth of fresh produce. The ancient Persians transformed vast stretches of arid land into fertile oasis via underground aquifers that drew melted snow water into the dessert. A bright, sensory, vibrant, fruit and herb filled cuisine was born in the land. The following are ten most popular and integral dishes of Persian cuisine. Pomegranate walnut stew (Fesenjan)- This iconic stew is an integral part of the Persian wedding menu, pairs tart pomegranate with chicken or duck. Ground walnuts, pomegranate paste and onions are slowly simmered to a thick sauce. Often saffron and cinnamon are added to colour and flavour it. Eggplant and tomato stew (Bademjan)- This prized Persian dish is shimmering red golden coloured tomato cooked with turmeric, with a sheen of oil on top. The eggplant is fried to golden brown, then cooked with onions, lamb and tomatoes and seasoned. The stew is thick and is served with rice. Kebab (Lamb, chicken, lamb liver, ground meat)- Koobideh is a ground meat seasoned with minced onion, salt and pepper. Kebab e barg- is thinly sliced lamb or beef flavoured with lemon juice, onion and basted with saffron butter. Joojeh chicken kebab is traditionally made with whole chicken, bones for more flavour. Herb and cheese plate (Sabzi Khordan)- No Persian dish is complete without  a dish of edible herbs or Sabzi Khordan. The plate can include mint, parsley, basil, cilantro, radishes, scallions, walnuts, feta cheese and Iranian flatbread. The plate stays at the table throughout the meal and the herbs are a crunchy palate cleanser between bites of stew and rice. Fava and dill rice (Baghali Polo)- Chelo is rice prepared with butter and saffron, its cooked with other ingredients like polo. Polo can be made with herbs, vegetables, beans, nuts, dried fruit, meat and even noodles and acts as a centre of the meal. The dish is made with green dill and tender fava and is often cooked with every tender chunks of lamb. Barberry Rice (Zereshk Polo)- Persians like sour flavours, barberries have a vibrant red colour and they are sour too. This classic rice dish is studded with the red berries, which are dried and then rehydrated before cooking. The rice is cooked with plenty of butter, which helps to soften the intensity of berries. Green Herb Stew (Gormeh Sabzi)- This stew is made from herbs, kidney beans and lamb. This sour stew is seasoned with dried Omani limes. Fenugreek leaves, parsley, coriander and scallions. Noodle and bean soup (Ash e reshteh)-  A rich textured soup made with noodles, beans, herbs and leafy greens like spinach and beet leaves. It is drizzled with mint oil, crunchy fried onions and sour kashk, a fermented whey product eaten in the Middle East that tastes akin to sour yoghurt. Crunchy Fried rice (Tahdig)- It is the soul food of the Persian cuisine, it’s the crisp, golden layer of fried rice at the bottom of the rice pot, and it tastes like a combination of popcorn and potato chips, but with the delicate flavour of basmati rice.  Jewelled Rice (rice with nuts and dried fruits)- This is a sweet and savoury dish dotted with brightly coloured dried fruits and nuts, like little jewels and shows some of the native ingredients of the Iranian cuisine including pistachio, saffron, almonds, candied orange peel, barberries and carrots. Sugar is added to balance the sourness of the barberries. This dish is popular at weddings, because the sweet elements symbolise a sweet life. Traditionally, served with chicken, which contrasts well with the sweetness. Gormeh Sabzi Ingredients Serves 2 Lamb cubes 800 gm Onion, chopped 1 cup Cooking oil 2 tbsp Turmeric powder 1 tsp Water 2 cups Lime juice 3 tbsp Omani lemon 2 nos. Kidney beans ¾ cup Potato, diced 1 no. Salt to taste Black pepper to taste Green onion, chopped 1 cup Spinach, chopped 2 cup Parsley, chopped ½ cup Cilantro, chopped 2 tbsp Chives, chopped 2 tbsp Fenugreek leaves, chopped ¼ Cup Method Wash and trim the lamb into ¾ “ cubes and keep aside Fry the onions over medium heat until golden brown, add turmeric powder and stir well Add lamb cubes and stir fry over high heat until the meat is browned, reduce heat Add water, drained kidney beans add salt and pepper Add pierced Omani lemon, cover and simmer over slow flame for about an hour or until the meat is tender Fry diced potato over high heat in a separate skillet until golden brown Add the potato to the lamb mixture, cover and simmer for 10 minutes In a separate pan sauté the chopped vegetables until they wilt Add the vegetable to the lamb and stir well Serve hot with steamed basmati rice * Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Undoubtedly, ribeye is the jewel of any steakhouse menu, a well seasoned and prepared steak is one of the most delectable food. Ribeye steak is harvested from the rib section of beef from the loin muscle, A muscle that stretches along the spine from the base of the neck to the hip, outside of the rib cage. They are cut from the top of the muscle, just behind the shoulder followed as you travel down the spine by the strip and the porterhouse. The area is typically between ribs six through twelve. As a little used part, the steaks from the loin are particularly tender. The degree of muscle usage by cattle is related to the tenderness of the cattle meat. So what exactly makes ribeye so flavourful? As true with all other steaks it is the level of marbling of fat that makes it delectable. The abundance of marbling, ribbons of fat that melt into the meat as it cooks delivering that rich beef flavour. A smooth, fine texture and tenderness. Steaks closest to the cattle head have abundant marbling and generally have a layer of fat around the portions. During the cooking process, the fat melts (renders) and bastes the meat from the inside. So when you cook the steak you get a utterly buttery flavour. Rib steak vs Ribeye steak There is a lot of confusion on names and people often call them by different names. But essentially a rib steak, and ribeye steak are the same cuts of beef, ribeyes are boneless and ribeye steaks include the bone. Sometimes ribeye steaks are called ‘bone in ribeys’, ‘rib hops’, and ‘cowboy steak’. A ‘Delmonico’ is a boneless ribeye that is pounded flat before cooking. Regardless of what you call them they are all tender and juicy piece of steak.  Cooking a ribeye Ribeyes are quick cooking steaks. Naturally fatty and more tender than some other cuts of beef. Most people like them rare or medium rare. But they taste delicious even when cooked well. There are three main grading options when you are choosing the steak. USDA grades the meat as Prime, Choice and Select. Prime grade is almost never found in supermarkets. This beef is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. It has abundant marbling and is generally sold in restaurants and hotels. Prime roasts and steaks are excellent for dry-heat cooking (broiling, roasting, or grilling). Choice grade is still of high quality, but has less marbling than Prime. Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib. They are very tender, juicy, and flavourful. They also do well with dry-heat cooking. Many of the less tender cuts, such as those from the rump, round, and blade chuck, can also be cooked with dry heat if not overcooked. Such cuts will be most tender if ‘braised’ — roasted, or simmered with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan.Select grade is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades. It is fairly tender, but, because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavour of the higher grades. Only the tender cuts (loin, rib, sirloin) should be cooked with dry heat. Other cuts should be marinated before cooking or braised to obtain maximum tenderness and flavour. How to cook a perfect steak Before cooking, thaw a steak and take it out of refrigerator for about 20 minutes and bring it to room temperature. I personally do not prefer the marinade a steak and just season the meat with salt and crushed pepper and oil. Place the steak on a well seasoned and hot grill. Sear the meat at high temperature to seal the natural juices and fat. Then move it to lower heat then continue to cook. Before cooking a thaw the steak, take it out of the fridge, set it on the counter for about 20 minutes to bring it to room temperature. Marinade is not needed, just salt it and place-it on the heated grill. For best results, sear it at very high temperature to seal in natural juices and fat. Then move it to lower heat then continue cooking. When the meat is almost cooked as desired remove the steak from the grill and allow it to rest away from grill. This helps in the carry over cooking to cook and tenderise the meat and make it more juicy. Then return the steak again to the grill and heat it again on slow flame on both sides to make it hot and serve. When home cooking a ribeye choose a thick and large 800- 900 gms. steak instead of the smaller thin ones and two people can share. It is easy to cook thick steaks as compared to the thin ones as they tend to over cook very fast. Also choose the bone in steak as the bone imparts flavour and keeps the meat moist. To cook on stove The best way to prepare a ribeye and my preferred way at home is to cook the steak in a cast iron pan. By using cast iron pan you get nice seared crust and juicy centre. Also you can baste the steak using the pan which helps in improving the flavour and texture of the steak. Heat your cast iron pan on stove until it gets very hot. Drizzle oil and heat it almost to its smoking point and then place the steak into the pan and let it sear until a crust begins to form. Keep it in the pan for four minutes and then flip to the other side and cook for three minutes on the other side. Add some butter and keep basting the other side of the steak with hot butter. Once your desired internal temperature is achieved (130-135 degrees Fahrenheit for medium rare, 135-140 degrees Fahrenheit for medium, and 140-145 degrees Fahrenheit for medium well), let the steak rest ten minutes before you return it to the pan again to heat it and serve. Pan Seared Ribeye Ingredients Serves 2 Ribeye steak(800 gm) 1 no. Olive oil 2 tbsp Sea salt to taste Crushed back pepper to taste Thyme few sprigs Accompaniments Spinach 300 gm Mushroom 100 gm Garlic cloves 2-3 nos. Butter unsalted 2 tbsp Heavy cream ½ cup Potato 2 nos. Sour cream 2 tbsp Method Season the steak with salt pepper and olive oil and keep aside for 20-30 minutes Meanwhile boil the potato and allow them to cool down Peel and mash the potato and keep aside Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat and drizzle oil and butter Place the steak in the skillet and sear at high heat for 4 minutes Turn the steak and baste with the fats in the skillet Cook for 4 minutes on the other side too and remove from flame and rest aside Add thyme leaves and mixed garlic in the fats and add mushroom and spinach and sauté at high heat Adjust the seasoning and add butter and cream, Remove and keep aside In a separate pan add the potato mash and add cream and butter to make a smooth mashed potato Adjust the seasoning and remove from flame Return the steak to the skillet over medium heat and cook on both sides for two minutes and serve hot along with garlic spinach and mushroom and mashed potato and sour cream dollop. * Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Submarine, Sub, Grinder, Hero, Hoagie, Zeppelin, Zep are the many names for sandwiches made with a length of an Italian bread split horizontally and filled with cold cuts, cheese, veggies and dressing. But the undoubted king of the sandwich world is the Po’ Boy sandwich from New Orleans. At first glance Po’ Boy looks like just another submarine sandwich served in chewy Italian bread but the Po’ Boy is served in French baguette. The thin crispy crust and a soft light interior makes it stand apart from the crowd. The sandwich is served according to the length of the baguette. Extra long loaves measure 32 inches, and sandwiches come in full length or half, quarter or shorties (shorter than quarter). The second difference is in the filling of the sandwich. The original Po’ Boy was filled with fried oysters or shrimp. Common variations include soft shell crab, catfish and crawfish, spicy Louisiana sausage such as andouille, fried chicken and shredded seasoned beef. The third and last distinction is that Po’ Boy is a hot sandwich and not just composed of cold cuts, the fillings in the sandwich are served hot. Like any popular food, it is important to know its origin and history. The Po’ Boy sandwich originated in the late 19th century. Po’ Boy was initially called an oyster loaf, named after its filling. In 1922, two brothers Bennie and Clovis Martin quit their job as New Orleans streetcar conductors and opened a coffee shop in the city’s historic French market. Though the shop was small, the location in the heart of the French Quarter was prime and the brothers did a brisk business. In the summer of 1929, the negotiations between the transit company and the streetcar racers broke down resulting in a strike and transit shut down. When the strike breaking thugs were brought in to take the more than thousands of jobs left vacant, the situation turned violent and despite the loss of the transit system, the public favoured the union and supported the workers. As former streetcar conductors, the brothers also supported by announcing that they would feed any hungry striker, who could not afford to pay. The Martin brothers more than kept their promise, not only feeding the union men through the long and bitter strike, but working with local baker to develop an even longer bread loaf measuring about 40 inches in order to make the sandwiches that were especially more filling. According to Martin brothers, whenever they saw a hungry striker headed their way they would say “here comes another poor boy” and start making a sandwich. The brothers’ generous gesture became popular instantly and soon the sandwich represented the identity of the city’s heart and soul. Later the “poor boy” was shortened as “Po’ Boy” in local accent. Seafood and chicken Po’ Boys are made with breaded and fried ingredients, but if you don’t want to bread and deep fry, then oven roasting is a tasty alternative. Just remember – you are going to serve this sandwich hot, so time and plan the cooking accordingly. A beef Po’ Boy is made using cheaper cuts of beef and slow simmering them in beef broth with garlic, paprika, bay leaf and thyme and spices until you can shred it with a fork and load it onto the bread. The next step is to get the dressing right. Fried seafood Po’ Boys are usually dressed with a drizzle of melted butter and pickle slices. Fried chicken and shredded beef Po’ Boys are served with gravy. Many Po’ Boys are served dressed with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise or re-moulade sauce and pickles with a sprinkle of Louisiana hot sauce. Sausage and meat versions are also served drizzled with mustard and the customer chooses regular smooth or grainy mustard. French fries are the standard side dishes. Po’ Boy is a leading attraction for all the visitors and it is an all time local favourite in New Orleans. There is an annual Oak Street Po’ Boy festival in November in New Orleans and is one of the city’s best attended events. Shrimp Po’ Boy Ingredients Shrimps (26-30) 400 gm Buttermilk 1 cup Louisiana hot sauce 2 tbsp All purpose flour 1 cup Yellow cornmeal ¾ cup Cayenne pepper ½ tsp Oregano ½ tsp Thyme ½ tp Garlic powder ½ tsp Salt to taste Black pepper powder to taste Mayonnaise ¼ cup Vegetable oil to fry For sandwich French baguette 1 no Tomato 2 no Iceberg lettuce, shredded 1 cup Pickle few slices Fried potato 100 gm Method Peel, wash and devein the shrimps and keep aside in a bowl Add buttermilk, hot sauce, salt and pepper to the shrimp and toss to marinate well, refrigerate for an hour In a separate bowl combine, flour, cornmeal, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, garlic powder and pepper, salt and set aside In a separate bowl whisk mayonnaise with 2 tbsp of hot sauce to make a smooth sauce, set aside In a heavy bottom pan, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium heat Drain the marinated shrimp of any excess marinade and toss them in flour mixture to coat well Fry the shrimp until golden brown and thoroughly cooked, remove the shrimps and place them on kitchen paper towel to remove excess oil Take the French baguette and slit it horizontally keeping one side intact to hold the bread together Spread the mayonnaise mixture, on the bottom half, divide the fried shrimp, top with slice tomato, shredded lettuce and sliced pickles. Cover with the other half and slice into half and serve with crispy fried potato

Being a chef and a food lover, I like to try variety of cuisines and explore newer dishes. Recently, I tried the Lobster Pho at one of the restaurants in Las Vegas and it was simply too good to miss. ‘Pho’ is a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles called Banh pho, fresh herbs, meat and primarily made with beef and chicken. The best part about Vietnamese food is the fresh ingredients and Pungent fish sauce in just about every dish. To really understand the flavours of Vietnam’s it is important to understand the geography of the country. It is an elongated ‘S’ shape, about the size of Italy, with Hanoi to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the South China Sea to the east. The 3,000 kilometres coastline snakes down marked by Hanoi in the north, the rigged central highlands, the sprawling Hoi Chi Minh city (aka Saigon) in the south, and the fertile Mekong Delta, the rice bowl of the country at the bottom end. The food from the north is heavily influenced by China with its stir fries and noodle based soups. As you move towards the south there is more flavours blending with nearby Thailand and Cambodia. The tropical climate down outs also sustains more rice paddies, coconut groves, jackfruit trees and herb gardens. The food in southern Vietnam is typically sweeter, sweeter broths or pho, more palm sugar used in savoury dishes, and those popular toffee like coconut candies made with coconut cream. Despite the varied landscape of Vietnam, all of the cuisine contains this brilliant balance of aromatics, heat, sweetness, sourness and fish flavour. As with other Asian cuisines, it is all about the yin and yang, the sweet and salty, the cooling and the warming, the fresh and the fermented.  Rice and fish are two universal themes when you travel across the length and breath of the country. Vietnam is the second largest rice exporter in the world after Thailand. Rice is grown all over the country, most bountifully in the south part enough to feed the country and to export. Rice is consumed at breakfast, lunch, dinner and even at dessert. Also there are plenty of dishes made with rice like, rice noodles, rice paper wrappers, rice porridge, sticky rice, fried rice, sticky rice, fried rice, and puffed rice snacks. One Vietnamese local told me that instead of saying God bless in response to a sneeze, they say ‘com muoi’ meaning rice and salt, so that they are ailed from whatever’s ailing them. The best part about the Vietnamese food that I like is the use of fresh ingredients and is crucial about the food being made. Some of the common ingredients and herbs used abundantly in the cuisine are cilantro, mint, basil, chives, lime leaves, lemon grass, green onions, scallions, garlic, dill, ginger, galangal, cinnamon, tamarind pulp, turmeric. Vietnamese food has French influence due to its colonisation from 18th century to 1954. It has a lasting effect on the country, the people, the architecture, the land and the flavours. One significant one is ‘banh mi’ sandwich with its crusty French baguette as the foundation. The filing is grilled sardines, cilantro, chili spiked pickled carrots and other filings.  Pho is another example of French colonialism leaving its mark, the soup is a blend of Vietnamese rice noodles and fresh minded meat broths. The story relates that French colonists slaughtered a bunch of cattle in Vietnam to satisfy their appetite for steak, and the ever resourceful Vietnamese cooks used the scraps, bones and other bits and pieces to make Pho. The essence of Vietnamese cuisine is in the broth, if the broth is not good the dish is not considered complete. Fish sauce delivers the salt in the food. Salty, fermented fish sauce is used in marinades, soup broths, salad dressings, spring roll dips and its really hard to think of a dish where its not used. The national condiment is made of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chili and garlic. Anchovy fish is used to make ultimate fish sauce. The island near the Cambodian border is rich in seaweed and plankton, which yields the best anchovies. The right fish sauce has to be ‘pungent’. Seafood Pho For broth Onion 1 no Ginger 2 inch cube Apple 1 no Celery stalk 2 no Carrot 1 no Cabbage leaves 250 gm Star anise 2 no Cinnamon stick 1 no Fennel seeds 1 tsp Coriander seeds 1 tsp Water 2.5 lt Sea salt 1 tsp Dried shrimp 3 tbsp Shrimps (16-21unpeeled) 300 gm Fish sauce 2 tbsp Sugar 1 tsp For Bowls Flat rice noodles 300 gm Shrimps cooked from the broth Fish fillet 300 gm Green onion 2 stalks Cilantro, chopped 3 tbsp Ginger, chopped 1 tsp Chili sauce 1 tbsp Method Char the ginger and onion on a stove or outdoor barbecue grill. Remove from heat and allow to cool down. Remove the ginger and onion skin wash and keep aside Heat a heavy bottom stock pot and add star anise, cinnamon, fennel and coriander seeds and toast the spice to make them fragrant Add water and add chopped ginger, onion, carrots, celery, apple, cabbage, dried shrimps and bring to boil  Scum the froth and reduce the heat to low and simmer, add shrimp peels and keep the shrimp aside Simmer the broth for 1 hour, but at 50 minute mark add the shrimp and fish and cook them till shrimps just curl up Remove the shrimps  and fish and keep aside, allow the broth to rest and strain through a muslin cloth Season the broth with fish sauce, salt and sugar and keep aside While the stock is simmering, soak the dried noodle in warm water to make them soft and opaque  Drain and blanch noodle in the strainer for 1-2 minutes, divide equally in 4 bowls Add the shrimp and fish into the broth and simmer again for 2-3 minutes Meanwhile add the cilantro, spring onion, fine sliced ginger into each soup bowl Pour the broth with shrimp and fish and serve hot * Chef Tarun Kapoor,   Culinary Mastermind,  USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]